exceptionally
Americanadverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exceptionally
Explanation
A walk in the park is nice, but it’s exceptionally nice on a beautiful spring day when the weather is perfect, flowers are blooming, and birds are singing. Think of the word exceptionally as a magic wand that upgrades adjectives from ordinary to extraordinary. For example, a good day could just be a pleasant day when nothing bad happens, but an exceptionally good day would be closer to having the best day of your life. While exceptionally usually carries a positive meaning, it can also be used to describe something that is particularly unusual, like an exceptionally large shrimp.
Vocabulary lists containing exceptionally
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I left Paris thinking I’m going to goof off now,” Conlon explained, having for seven of his nine Paris years retained his positions in Cologne, shuttling between two exceptionally demanding jobs.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026
This meant the treatment targeted an exceptionally narrow patient population.
From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026
The specimen was donated to the museum in 1966 and has now become the basis for an exceptionally detailed digital record of the rare porpoise.
From Science Daily • Jun. 17, 2026
Dual-engine failures on modern airliners are exceptionally rare.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
“I can’t tell if you’re exceptionally eccentric or just really passionate about the cultural stuff,” Dimple said after they’d walked a little ways in silence.
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
